The present invention relates to a toner cartridge construction and arrangement which bottom-dumps, under the force of gravity, into the toner replenisher mechanism of a developer station; the bottom of the cartridge being sealed by a folded-back-upon-itself, traveling-fold seal.
Traveling-fold seals have been used in prior art toner cartridges, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,999,654 and 4,062,385 are exemplary.
U.S. Pat. 3,999,654 (incorporated herein by reference) teaches forming the traveling-fold seal (22) from an elongated, flexible, smooth-surfaced seal-strip or tongue, using material of the type which is also preferred for use in the present invention. This seal-strip is made of a polyethylene fibrous sheet comprising a multiplicity of randomly oriented and bonded polyethylene fibers, the sheet having nondirectional shear strength or tearing characteristics. The brand is TYVEK, by E. I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.
U.S. Pat. 4,062,385 (incorporated herein by reference) teaches the use of a slide-cover (4) which protects the traveling-fold seal (3) during storage, etc. This patent also recognizes that removal of the traveling-fold seal may, at times, cause toner to be drawn out of the cartridge, on the surface of the seal. To prevent toner contamination of the surrounding area, this patent teaches the use of a construction and arrangement whereby the aforesaid slide-cover, which is first displaced to the side of the toner cartridge (FIG. 3), includes a wiper-seal (5) which wipes the side of the seal-strip on which toner had been resting prior to removal of the seal-strip.
Also of interest is the IBM TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE BULLETIN of January 1980, at pages 3112-3113, which describes the manner in which toner cartridges of this general type can be interlocked, so as to insure that a specific toner can be used only in the reproduction device for which it was intended.